Pound should stop killing all pit bulls

My letter last week addressed why I thought the humane society should take over the Licking County dog pound. I also complained about a trip to PA that the dog warden John Silva took to pick up a truck for the pound. I sincerely believe that Silva was on personal business (maybe a mini vacation) in the Washington, DC area. He charged the county 15 hours of time worked and $215 in expenses.

Silva makes $28.08 per hour according to the Licking County auditor’s office. That means total expense to the taxpayers was in excess of $600. If someone was going to get an hourly wage (even though Silva was already there and had to come home somehow) wouldn’t it have been cheaper to send one of the guys who makes about $14 an hour?!

When Silva took over the pound, he ended services that the public was paying for (humane agent services, owner surrendered cats and dogs, etc.), but wages continued to grow and the hours open to the public diminished. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want the pound taking dogs and cats just to kill them. But a good working relationship with rescue groups would be required and I believe Silva has a long history of shutting out rescues.

Another change needed at our pound is the killing of pit bulls and pit bull mixes… just because they are pit bulls. The state changed their way of thinking and Silva needs to change as well. Not so long ago the public stood firm and INSISTED that the horrific gas chamber be removed from the Licking County pound. It may take the same persistence from the public to send a message to the commissioners that Silva must stop killing pit bulls just because of their breeding! But I truly hope the commissioners show us what they’re made of and make that decision on their own!